Title: Hedging Her Bets

Author: blackknight5
beta by: Strawbehrry Shortcake
Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Four Aliens and Baby & Roswell Books "A New Beginning" and "Nightscape".

Author's Note: Sorry for the long almost insane delay in getting this chapter up, I hope you enjoy. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read and review this story. Please continue to Read and Review.

Part 9

Roswell – Crashdown Caf

The 'Dupes' had forced the parents up into the Parker's apartment above the Crashdown. Jeff and Phillip had struggled to help Jim Valenti up the steps. Whatever the 'Special Unit' guys used on him had left him numb below his waist, and unable to walk. However, of all of them Diane and Amy probably had the worst job. His wife Nancy had completely lost it. The battle with the 'Special Unit' then the duplicates of Michael and Isabelle showing up had simply been too much.

Now sealed in Liz's old room Nancy had just drifted off into her own little world as she huddled in the corner. Every window had been turned into bricks thanks to the 'Dupes' powers leaving the door the only way in or out. The others hadn't seen the look of despair on Jim's face when the 'Dupes' had entered, but he had. Even unable to move everyone else was looking to Jim. Looking to him to sooth their fears, and give them the plan to get out. Except that was one of any number of things Jim Valenti could not do because both him and Nancy would slow down the group too much to make any real escape.

Jeff Parker wasn't sure how he'd reached that conclusion, but once he did he could see it all over Jim Valenti's face as he struggled to rest on Liz's bed. "Jim what do you know about the 'Dupes'? That is what you called them right?" Jeff asked.

"Jeff are you out of your mind? Those Agents did something to him, and he can't walk so you decide to play twenty questions?" Amy Deluca screamed as she stop trying to make Jim more comfortable, and moved to glare directly into Jeff Parker's eyes.

"Amy," Diane Evans said softly to try and calm down the fiery woman in front of her.

Amy Deluca would not be distracted by Diane Evans attempt at persuasion. So Jeff Parker decided to continue with the direct approach. "Jim has told us a lot about what has happened to our kids, and we have all read Liz's journal. But there is a difference between reading it in a book, and real life. We need to know what Jim knows or we are all dead," he said as he noticed the agreeing look in Jim Valenti's eyes.

"Jeff's right," Phillip Evans spoke as he looked down at Jim.

"Knowledge or really lack of it is the only thing that has kept us free from the 'Special Unit', but that has changed and so have the rules. Right now lack of knowledge will kill us, and Jim is the only source we have for that knowledge."

"Phillip, he maybe right, but we could at least give Jim a few minutes to recover," Amy pleaded.

Just then Jim Valenti slammed his fist into the floor. "Stop...It's not the dupes you need to worry about," Jim said once he knew he had everyone's attention.

"Jim, rest," Amy said as she moved back to his side.

"No. You have to get out of here."

"We won't leave you behind," Amy's answer and look brought a feeling of remembrance to him. Another comparison between me and Max both our girls would never want to leave us behind, Jim thought bitterly. For the 'Dupes' to show up in Roswell meant Khivar was going to move openly against the 'Royal Four', and if he didn't get everyone out of Roswell now they would never leave or if they did it would not be for a pleasant end.

Jim pulled away from Amy's touch. "You have no choice. I can't move, and Nancy won't move. Didn't you hear what they said downstairs? Khivar is on his way here."

Only Diane seemed to really recognize the name. "Khivar, he's the person the person that took control of Antar."

"Among other things which is why you can't stay here. Why do you think he sent the 'Dupes' here? Why do you think the 'Special Unit' wants us? We are the only leverage they have to make our kids come to any trap they want. You have to get out of here, and you have to do it now."

"What do you want us to do?" Phillip asked.

Los Angeles – Langley's House

Liz felt as if the galactic shoe had dropped, and now its partner was taking careful aim. Liz felt torn between the desire to scream about how people's lives were in danger, and the knowledge that figments of her mind probably wouldn't care. Alex stepped forward reaching out to her as the real Alex might have done.

"Liz, don't worry its going to be fine."

"You're not Alex. Is it possible we could skip with the secret messages, and you just tell me what you want me to know? People I love are in danger, and I don't have time for this."

"That decision is not up to you," the black clad figure said.

"I admitted I have the Queen's seal, what else do you want to show me? My family, My world are in danger. I don't have time to stay here and play twenty questions while they need my help."

Alex spoke next. His words soft with understand. Just like the real Alex. "Liz we know about Khivar."

Okay Liz thought. He's acting like the real Alex maybe I can talk to him like the real Alex, and get out of her, she thought. "Then you know I need to go."

Before Alex could answer Tess stepped forward. "Oh, for the love of god will someone please gag the annoying Cassandra want to be. Poor Liz had a vision have to run off and tell the others."

"You're not Tess, and even if you were...,"Liz looks over Tess, "you're not worth my time."

Liz turned to look back at Alex when she noticed Tess's hand shoot up, and blast her backwards. "Well, Queenie I think my demand on your time just went up a few points."

California Desert – Death Valley

When Langley had told them where they would be meeting the reinforcements from Antar, Michael had almost laughed out at the irony. Death Valley, the puns from that alone where too many to count, and with Michael's usual less then optimistic outlook the situation just became more and more fubar.

Max was sitting up front with Langley, but neither man was talking to the other. Max blaming Langley for placing Liz in danger, or what he believed was danger. Langley blaming Max for living, and Michael sitting in the back of Langley's car with no one to talk to, and nothing to do. Plus that part of him that remembered being Rath and that responded to both Max and Liz's royal seals was telling him that he needed to do something.

In fact screaming at him to do something was a more appropriate description, and quite frankly it is was annoying the shit out of him. Oh god I can't believe I'm about to do this, Michael thought.

"Max."

Max didn't move, heck he didn't even flinch.

"Maxwell," Okay that's it, Michael thought as he grabbed Max's shoulder, "Yo! Your Royal Highass!"

Max final seemed to acknowledge his presence. Yeah relinquishing the throne my ass, both him and Liz will act Royal till the day they die which means they deserve your respect. God Damn it! Where did that thought come from. "What do you want Michael?" Max asked.

"Well you mean besides Khivar's head on a silver platter, and the 'Special Unit' guys as my own personal play things? Well, I can't tell you or Maria would kill me."

A thin smile appeared briefly on Max's face before he forced it back to the impassive expression he worn since leaving Liz. "I'm not really in the mood Michael," Max answered.

"Well, I am. I can't explain it but I feel the need to talk. It's like some half forgotten memory wants to pop to the surface, but is just out of reach."

Max didn't answer. Fine you just remember you forced me Max. "What no ideas from you Langley?"

Langley slammed on the breaks of the car. "I don't have to explain myself to you Guerin," Langley said with a barely controlled anger.

"No, you don't Langley, but you do have to explain yourself to me," Max said.

Langley turned his head to look directly at Max. "We have had this conversation, your highness."

"And we will have as many times as I want. You can hate me as much as you want, but when your hate of me puts her in danger!"

"You petulant child, do you think I would do anything to intentionally hurt her? She's the only one of you worth anything, but I guess you still don't get it. She's one of you! She possess a Royal Seal! If I can't help but obey you what makes you think I could disobey her?"

Los Angeles – Langley's House

Liz got to her knees as Tess fired the first kick to stomach. "Ahh, come on Liz why so silent? This girl time, shouldn't we be talking, you know sharing secrets? Or maybe talking about boys? But wait, we both had the same boy. So tell me did I train him good?"

Reaching down Tess grabbed Liz's head forcing her to look at her. "What's wrong Queenie don't have an answer?"

Liz glared at Tess. "I don't need an answer," Liz replied. Her hand shot up sending a blast into Tess more powerful then anything she'd done before. It was a brilliant flash that left Tess nearly unconscious on the ground. "You're a disgrace Tess. You were told everyday of your life you were a queen, but you were nothing but a lowly murderer."

A barely moving Tess laughed at Liz's words, "So what now you're going to pass sentence on me Liz? You going to use your bad new alien powers to kill me? Seems more like vengeance to me."

Liz stopped her glare even more menacing as a part of her screamed to take her vengeance on this imaginary Tess even if couldn't on the real one. "No, you aren't Tess. You aren't worth it and neither was she."

"All talk and no follow through you never change. She's ready." Tess said as the black figure nodded, and Tess leaned back dissolving into nothingness.

Turning to face Alex and the black figure all Liz could think to say was. "What?"

Roswell – Crashdown Caf

As Jim Valenti finished outlining his plan he noticed everyone had taken more than a stepped back from Amy Deluca, and none of them were looking her in the eyes. "Amy please lower your voice," Jim pleaded as his extremely angry girlfriend seemed about to explode like a thermonuclear bomb, and at that moment Jim seemed to be the only one willing to look her in the eyes.

"And how exactly would you like me to react to this suicide plan yours?! We are not leaving you behind!"

The others had broken off with Phillip taking Diane off to one corner, and Jeff heading off to tend to Nancy offering the man as much privacy as their cramped quarters could offer. Amy seemed about ready to burst. Her daughter's father had left them when Maria had been a baby, and now after all this time she had found someone she could love as deeply. Someone she knew would never leave her, but now he was trying to.

"Amy my legs aren't working. Whatever they hit me with isn't wearing off. If you want any hope of escaping then you can't take me. Plus someone needs to watch Nancy."

Amy bent down grabbing Jim Valenti in her arms, "You promised you'd never leave me."

"I'm sorry."

Los Angeles – Langley's house

"How did I?" Liz asked, "What is going on?"

Alex seemed about ready to answer when suddenly he stopped and all color drained from his face. In less then a second he turned around to look at the black figure. "I need to go know," He said.

The black figure nodded, "Go, and good luck. Protect her."

Alex nodded then disappeared. "What is going on? Was all this just some sort of test? Who are you?" Liz asked. Liz couldn't tell why but for some reason the black figure with no face almost seemed to be smiling. The figure's hands raised up to the black hood pushing it back off its head. Liz Had been shot, found out aliens live among us, discovered she had alien powers, and become hunted by her own government, but none of that shocked her as much as what she just saw.

"Grandma..."